Speaker switching or equivalent solution

[w33logic]

My set up combines music and AV in a fairly traditional way. AV runs through an Arcam AVR850 which powers the centre and surrounds, then the fronts run on AV bypass mode into my Atom HE. Music is from a NAS and various streaming sources, output is to a NAP100 and then Proac Tablette Sigs. With the usual tweaking of trim levels here and there, it works pretty well. Until Spotify Connect (lossless) came along.

I like Spotify Connect, for its playlists and whatever. More than that, it’s now the streaming platform of choice for my (grown up) offspring, and they enjoy using multiroom between the Atom HE and the two Muso Qb2s that I have in other rooms. Before the upgrade to lossless, Tidal was used, but the general view is that Spotify is much more stable. My own music use is mainly local files on my NAS, so I’ll take the word of the streamers in the house over my own opinion.

The problem is, on about half the occasions that Spotify multiroom is used, when I then use the system for AV later on, there’s a lag of around a second in the sound from the fronts. It wasn’t there before, and a hard reset of the Atom sorts it. Tidal multiroom (or NAS multiroom) never caused this. But it’s a regular occurrence, and resets are a faff.

So I tried a speaker switch, which took cables for the fronts from the Arcam and also from the NAP100 and then out to the speakers. The thought process was that, by separating the music and the AV, Spotify couldn’t sneak in and cause the lag. It worked absolutely fine for AV, but the NAP100 output was either crackly and weak, or caused a cut-out. Hours of fiddling made no difference, so for now I’m back to square one.

I have two initial questions from this. Firstly, has anyone successfully used a speaker switch with the NAP100 (or with any Naim power amp)? If so, which switch? I’ve seen a Beresford model mentioned in some posts.

The other solution that has come to my head is the Musical Fidelity M6S PRX power amp, which has switchable preamp inputs. Reviews are a few years old and the amp itself isn’t always easy to find, but I’m wondering what the sound signature would be like in comparison to the NAP100. I had the little cylindrical MF monobloc power amps years ago for a different AV system and have no negative memories of them. My musical tastes lean towards the faster, tighter sound for rock and (for the offspring) dance tunes.

I accept that, at around £2,000 it’s quite an expensive solution to a hard reset or two, but sometimes the end justifies the means!

[Dan_M]

I’ve been using a Beresford switch for the last 10 years between Naim Power Amps and AV amps. It also enables me to listen to my system in the conservatory. Increased costs of Speaker cabling as a run a pair from power amp and av amp to switch and a pair from switch to your speaker set up(s).

I have not tried the Unity Gain feature which Naim preamps allow.

[Blythe]

I had a similar problem.
It’s multi-room that causes the delay.
If any multi-room has been in use, stop it via the app before you attempt to play your AV system.
It took me a few weeks to figure out in my old system.

[w33logic]

Thanks Dan, is that the Beresford TC7220 switch? I’ve looked around for one, so far without success. The switch I’ve used is a fairly basic one from a well known retail site! Can I also ask what speaker cables you were/are running to and from the switch? I’m using Chord Rumour X to the box, short runs with pre-terminated plugs from Futureshop, and then my existing Rumour 2 from the box to the speakers.

[w33logic]

Thanks Blythe, that’s very useful to know. Now I just have to train the offspring (and myself). Training myself is probably the harder part to be honest.